Happy Spring Morning

Stones River Market

Market News

Happy, beautiful Spring day!

Dogwood Valley Greenhouse is just full of blooms at this time of year. Last time I wrote, I was just beginning to see blooms on the Carnations, Coral Bells (better known for their colorful foliage), Foam Flower, Foamy Bells (a cross between coral bells and foam flower), Pincushion, Spiderwort, and Salvia (two colors now). These are all in full bloom now, and really livening up the greenhouses. This week we are adding a few new ones to the sequence of bloom: Beard-tongue, Geranium (cranesbill), Phlox divaricata (another woodland phlox with narrow leaves and a cute dark ‘eye’), and Veronica in two colors.

Several Lavenders, Rosemary (both Creeping and Upright), Garden Sage, several types of Thyme, and Spearmint join the offerings of herb plants this week. It’s taken these guys a while to get going, but they are well worth the wait for your spring and summer cooking. Also added this week are tender Stevia and Lemongrass, which may still need to be guarded against a random unseasonably cool night.

The ferns are looking really good, and we have a good selection of heights and colors for your shade garden – autumn, Japanese painted (short & colorful), painted (taller and light green), Northern lady, and Ostrich at the moment, with more to come.

For spring blooms in shady areas, especially under tall trees, you can’t beat Azaleas. You might want to look through the Azalea listings to see the new colors in this week’s sequence of bloom, and there are still several more to come. And for fall color in full sun, Burning Bush (Euonymous) is amazing. We have both azaleas and burning bushes in two sizes: 1 gallon is about a foot tall, and three gallon is a lot larger and fuller.

Be sure to look for our new Spring Garden Bouquets. I’m having trouble with my phone’s camera, so may not have a photo. But I will be glad to bring you a bouquet and take it away if you aren’t satisfied. These are small bouquets, about a foot from tabletop to tallest bloom, and will be a delightful addition to any spring table.

One last thing: I’m going to revise my advice about tomato and pepper plants. These nights in the 30’s and low 40’s are keeping our garden soil unseasonably cool. The summer vegetables will do much better if you wait to set them out just a little longer. The days are very pretty, but the nights are not. Please wait to get your tomatoes and peppers after Mother’s Day. I will have both available next week, but will be glad to hold plants for you and deliver later. Place your order next week, and specify a delivery date, to reserve your choice of tomato varieties and green bell peppers.

Botanical Harmony Farm still has loads of duck eggs coming in daily! Get them while the ducks are happily laying!

Farrar Farm has nice artisan cuts of beef listed.

Flying S Farms has many of your daily bread needs covered along with award winning jams and chicken eggs. They have listed Bok Choi this week in the vegetable section.

Double Star Bar Farms has the most buttery, must-have Pain l’Ancienne (also known as a mini baguette)… Rod recently shared with me that there is no butter used in the bread, it’s olive oil! These tasty gems are so worthy, right along with their bagels! SO SO GOOD!

There’s so much more on this market. Browse and find some old and new favorites along with ever-changing, seasonal offerings.

Know your farmers, know your makers, bakers, producers! They all appreciate your support and love of what they do :).